“We Are The Foundation Of Any Society”- Traditional Women Tell Ellen

Liberia’s traditional women yesterday honored and certificated President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf for maintaining peace and stability in country particularly fir giving women ‘voice’ to speak and participate in issues of national interest while describing themselves as foundation to any society.

According to an Executive Mansion release, the honoring cum certification ceremony was performed in the C. Cecil Dennis Auditorium of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for what the women termed making them to stand shoulder-to-shoulders with men as compared to the past when women were inferior to men in Liberia.Accepting the honor, President Sirleaf said she was happy that those who planned and bestowed the honored on her did so at their own volition amid a program planned into their own hearts and heads to avoid speculations that she called the “Traditional Women together and paid them to bestow such honor on her.The Liberian leader said she was so pleased that it is the traditional women who have come together because our traditional people are the foundation of any society. President Sirleaf paid tribute to some of the women who have been in the capital for over one week - although she did not know that the traditional women were planning to honor me. She praised them for the sacrifice in using their own money to buy some of the gifts brought and their commitment sponsor their travel to Monrovia.President Sirleaf said she was even surprised that the women made their own uniforms, to make them properly identified whereas in the past people would pay for such special recognition. The Liberian leader who appeared elated over the honor, said she was taken by complete surprise because the “Traditional Women of Liberia,” through the National Traditional Council of Liberia did not provide prior information regarding the honor - however she accepted the recognition in good faith because our a Tradition constitutes the Foundation of any society.The Liberian leader said in the last 10-years of her Presidency, she along with members of the Traditional Women of Liberia and the National Traditional Council of Liberia (NTCL) have all been encouraged by working together for the rebuilding processes of Liberia.The Liberian leader said in Liberia today, the numbers of girls enrolling into private and public schools in the country was almost becoming equal to the numbers of boys in schools those days, but according to her despite that achievement, there were still more girls out of schools who need to be encourage to enroll into schools as well.She said in order to achieve this, more schools need to be built in places where there are no schools but inaccessible, due to the lack of roads, adding - there is a need to connect such places with improved roads to enable children in these parts of the country have access to education.President Sirleaf concluded with an opened invitation to the women that during her next nationwide tour, she will be visiting some of the newly constructed County Service Centers and would like to see the women, feel their presence around her to enable them have some heart-to- heart talk together.Speaking earlier, Chief Zanzan Karwor and Head of the National Traditional Council of Liberia said in the past an honoree bought everything to make such program successful – only create the impression that the honor came from the people’s hearts. He said: “Today, this is not the kind of honor that we are witnessing as it is a real honor because the women made the sacrifice and paid to realize everything benefitting this honor”.Also speaking, Senator Jewel H. Taylor, Chairperson, Women Legislative Caucus and Senior senator of Bong County said the name “Ellen Johnson Sirleaf” will remain forever in the history of Liberia as a ‘respected leader. She said President Sirleaf holds a very special place in the hearts of women in Liberia, Africa and across the world. She furthered that President Sirleaf is indeed worthy of the women’s honor and God will grant her long life to see her legacy and impact on the women of Liberia.The program was graced by senior government officials including, female legislators, traditional leaders, among other.